Page 35 of Monster Diner

“Wait,” Victor called.

And her shoulders snapped together. Here it was, any second now he was going to pitch that they bang.

“Yeah?” she asked.

“If you’re not feeling better tomorrow, let me know. I’ll find someone to cover your shift.”

“Oh. Thanks,” she replied.

“No problem…”

She lingered another moment, confused, frustrated, and guilty. She should tell him about Steven coming to town, but she and Victor were just casual, and if she chose to leave in a little over a week, they would be nothing at all. She had to remember that.

It felt dishonest, waiting for Victor to leave for the day, pretending to be sick, and rebuffing his offers of medicine or soup before leaving her room.

Lizzy’s body was tense walking into Enchantresso. She’d chosen it as a sort of neutral ground for the meeting with Steven. They’d been together long enough that she knew what to expect from him. He’d try and downplay what he’d done, and he’d beg her to come back. If Vivianne or someone else mentioned her being part owner of the diner and house, he’d try harder to cling to her and the money he’d see in those resources. And if she were honest, she didn’t want Victor and Steven to meet.

She arrived before Steven and ordered a coffee from the friendly redheaded owner, Goldie, who was bickering with Lucian, the local handyman. Lizzy sat down at one of the tables, staring into the foam of her latte. She tried not to look at her watch too much. But as the minutes ticked by, she got more and more antsy. It was just like Steven to leave her waiting for ages.

An hour after their agreed-meeting time, he finally came slinking in.

She crossed her arms and didn’t get up to greet him, even when he moved in for a hug.

“Thanks for meeting me. I’ve missed you,” he said as he pulled back and took a seat across from her.

“You’ve got my check?” she asked. She felt his annoyance rolling off him in waves.

“Can’t we talk? We spent years of our lives together, and you up and left like it was nothing.”

“You cheated on me. What am I supposed to do? Welcome her in as our third?” She raised a brow at him.

“Would you?” She felt a flare of hope in him, which only repulsed her more.

She scowled in response.

Steven looked down at the table as he said, “Look, I don’t want to argue.”

“I’m not arguing. I’m just stating facts.”

He glanced away from her and then to the counter. “I’m a little short on cash. Can you spot me?”

She laughed.

And he blinked back at her.

How had she ever found this man attractive?

“Just give me my check, Steven. And let’s end this.”

He sighed and pulled an envelope out of his pocket, and slid it across to her. “That’s not the only reason I came here.”

She arched a brow.

“You left this.” He held out his hand, and when she didn’t immediately open her palm to accept whatever was in his greasy grip, he shook his fist. Reluctantly, she opened her hand, and he dropped a single black hair tie. She blinked at it dumbly.

“You came all the way here to give me a used hair tie?”

“I thought it might be important to you,” he said lamely.